Stonehenge Alliance

22/03/2026

Free talk on zoom tomorrow evening: Monday 23rd March at 7:30pm

Join Wiltshire Museum Director David Dawson to find out how the new building project is progressing since being granted £8.5 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the talk. Book 👇

Monday 23rd March at 7:30pm
Free Talk via Zoom

Join Director David Dawson to find out how the project is progressing since being granted the £8.5 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the talk.

Book here at: https://www.wiltshiremuseum.org.uk/news-articles/event/assizes-for-devizes-online-update-on-the-project/?event_date=2026-03-23

22/03/2026

Revocation of the A303 Stonehenge planning permission has rightly prompted memories on social media of so many involved, especially the campaign‘s leading light, Kate Fielden. Here are some snaps of Kate in action, saving the Stonehenge landscape. And she did! We wish she were here to share our relief and celebrate those decades of hard slog.
UNESCO Transport Action Network CPRE Wiltshire - The Countryside Charity Friends of the Earth Stonehenge Stone Circle World Heritage Watch Stonehenge Dronescapes Amesbury Museum and Heritage Trust Stonehenge Law & Planning Library Hugh Newman Dale Vince Andy Rhind-Tutt Andy Norfolk Charlotte Pulver Simon Banton
Barry Richard Joyce Umberto Albarella

20/03/2026

Similar reports elsewhere in the news:
Swindon Advertiser: https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/25951022.stonehenge-tunnel-officially-scrapped-government/

Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15660611/Stonehenge-tunnel-cancelled-Government-160million-taxpayers-money-spent.html

Motor Transport: https://motortransport.co.uk/a303-tunnel-plans-revoked/89760.article

MSN: https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/stonehenge-tunnel-is-officially-cancelled-after-160m-of-taxpayers-money-was-spent-on-the-project/ar-AA1YYC5P?cvid=69bcbf91a3044c0092ada6ec15b7fe16&ocid=hpmsn

Geomechanics: https://www.geomechanics.io/news/article/stonehenge-tunnel-dco-revoked-design-and-risk-takeaways-for-project-teams

Dorset Council: https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/news/wessex-partnership-leaders-condemn-government-plans-to-revoke-stonehenge-tunnel-consent

Many scheme enthusiasts fail to appreciate that the strategic case had collapsed since the most of schemes along the A303/A358 corridor were either undeliverable, or unaffordable, or both.

The leaders of the Wessex Partnership have expressed their concern and disappointment at the Government’s proposal to revoke the Development Consent Order (DCO) for the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down Stonehenge Tunnel scheme.

20/03/2026

In the news: New Civil Engineer (NCE) highlights Heidi Alexander's four “exceptional circumstances” that fuelled her decision: "Primarily she cites “a substantial change in the scheme’s deliverability”, particularly “the absence of secured funding and the lack of a realistic prospect of such funding being put in place”. And also cites "an evolution in national and regional transport policies since the project was consented. “The scheme no longer aligns with current strategic policy objectives or investment priorities.” Hurray for that. But sadly, not a word about saving world heritage.

20/03/2026

In the news: Salisbury Journal "Supporters argued it would reduce congestion on the A303, a key route to the South West, but opponents said it offered poor value for money and posed a risk to heritage." The Salisbury Journal reminds us that Ian Thorn of Our Wiltshire Council strongly criticised the decision at the time Government issued the proposal to revoke the order. "This is not just a setback - it's a complete step backwards for a region that is severely lacking in Government investment compared to other parts of the country. Wiltshire deserves better, the South West deserves better, and we will continue to fight for the infrastructure our communities need and deserve." But why is he advocating a road building solution. When the Wiltshire LibDems came into power they were committed to reducing car use and increasing sustainable options. The best solution will arise form a well managed conversation that includes all points of view.

Plans for a controversial road tunnel near Stonehenge have been officially scrapped after the Government revoked the development consent order for…

20/03/2026

In the news Greatest Hits Radio Salisbury & Wiltshire News: "The Department of Transport (DfT) said it had made the decision to revoke the development consent order (DCO) due to "exceptional circumstances" and had considered the 181 responses supporting revocation as well as the 49 against. . . . The decision to revoke the A303 scheme can now be challenged by a judicial review in the next six weeks." Our Wiltshire Council has been the most vociferous of objectors to the revocation order - will they spend our money on fighting Department for Transport's decision? We'll find out next month.

Planning consent has been formally revoked by the government for the A303...

20/03/2026

In the news: The Guardian reports that we have "urged the government to use some of the saved budget on public transport networks in the area instead." But Our Wiltshire Council member for Highways, Martin Smith told the BBC: “This is a huge blow for Wiltshire, our communities and the wider south-west region. There has not been any discussion on a viable alternative that reduces congestion and stops the rat running through Wiltshire villages.” And that is precisely the point: we need proper research on solutions that, as Heidi Alexander for Swindon South puts it "better reflect current needs".

Campaigners have been fighting proposals to build traffic tunnel under the world heritage site since 1994

20/03/2026

In the news: The Stonehenge Alliance, a vocal opponent of the proposals, described the scheme as having “never made sense culturally, strategically, nor economically”.

Planning consent has been officially revoked for the A303 Stonehenge project, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.

20/03/2026

In the news: Good to see our Acting Chairman quoted here: "The WHS is a designation of an entire landscape that is full of prehistoric monuments of incalculable value. The granting of the DCO was always perverse, given the enormous damage it would have caused to the unique landscape of the Stonehenge WHS."

The tunnel's costs, including the planning expenses, have already reached £179.2m.

20/03/2026

In the news: The headline raises the issue: Who’s fault is the £179,000,000 spent on the "undeliverable road scheme"? The promoters of the extravagant folly? Or the objectors who challenged that folly? The Department for Transport's statement quoted by LBC reveals the real problem: The scheme did not “reflect current needs”. Politically driven schemes need better research before flying undeliverable kites. But has that expensive lesson been learnt?

Planning permission for a bypass tunnel at Stonehenge has been officially revoked after £179,000,000 was spent on the project.